A neighbour foiled a burglary when he phoned police after seeing two men acting suspiciously in the early hours of the morning outside a house in Huddersfield.

Leeds Crown Court heard the man went down to his living room after waking up at 2.45am on January 17 and it was from there he saw a 4x4 type vehicle turning outside in New Hey Road.

Christopher Moran prosecuting said he became concerned when he saw two men get out and walk towards a row of cottages pulling scarves over their lower faces as they did so.

They also put gloves on and one had a torch which they shone into a front garden before going to the back of the property concerned a couple of times.

The police quickly arrived and the 4x4 sped off while the two men split up and made off on foot.

Officers then discovered a burglary had been attempted while the occupants were asleep, with part of a window being opened at the back of the property and beneath it was a pair of mole grips and a screwdriver.

Mr Moran told the court CCTV showed one of the men had drunk from a bottle which he had discarded in a nearby hedge. That was recovered and the DNA on it was traced to Lee Cameron who was on licence at the time for burglary.

It was also discovered the vehicle had been hired in his name.

Cameron, 33 of Westerton Court, Oakenshaw, Bradford admitted attempted burglary and was given a 12 month community order with a high level activity requirement and 200 hours unpaid work.

Paul Fleming representing him told the court Cameron had already spent six months on remand and was genuinely motivated to change on his release.

He had the offer of employment, a relationship and had used his time constructively in prison by completing a course run by the Samaritans so he could help new prisoners.

“He could spend more time in prison or you could take this opportunity to see if he can break from his past offending with a constructive framework in place for him.”

Recorder Peter Babb said such offences had a serious effect on those who were victims “but there does appear to be some light at the end of a very long tunnel so far as previous offending has occurred.”